PARADON When it Begins
by whiterose250
Summary: Cara Findley never new her real past. The past that for years had been hidden from the normal eye. And now she must save a new world. A world she never knew existed.
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

When it begins, when it begins, when it begins", calls the voice.

"When what begins?", I scream. But silence is the only reply. The fog is growing thicker and dread fills my stomach. A hand reaches around my head firmly clamping my mouth shut.

"When it begins…", says the voice. That faceless harsh voice, with the echo calling out behind it. That sinister way they curl their words. I can feel a light breath on my neck, and here their shallow breathing so close to my ear. They're so close to me, if only I could turn my head enough to see their face. But I can't move. It's as if I'm frozen.

"… You must be ready.", the voice continues. There's an explosion in the distance and I feel a prick in the back of my leg. I concentrate all my energy to turn and look at the stinging spot on my calf. A scream escapes my throat and then another, and then another, then another.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Bring, bring, bring,my alarm screams pulling me back to reality. Crap! I fell asleep again. That's the third time today, I'm supposed to be studying. Well back to the books…again. I pick up my booklet but I just can't seem to concentrate. All I can think about is that dream.

It's the same every time. The same fog covered ground, that same bony hand clamping my mouth shut, and the same chilling voice. That voice, it's so secretive. Yet theirs that hint of fear just barely there.

"Cara why are you screaming? Get back to studying".

"Ok mom",I shout back. "Oh great. Where's my pencil? Where are all my pencils?". They keep disappearing and it's really making me mad.

I reach under the rim to the desk drawer I know is there.My hand clasps the little handle and the drawer pops open. I begin searching the drawer but still no pencils. My hand brushes up against something hard. That's odd, it's a wooden case. Why would there be a wooden box in my drawer. I throw the wooden box aside but don't hear the familiar clank. As I glance over at the corner of my desk a gasp escapes my throat.

Hovering just inches above my desk is the box. Suspended in the air. And on the wall just behind the box the words 'Don't trust…' are written in a thick oozing green slime. It's as if whoever wrote the message panicked and stopped writing.

"Ok this is weird, umm ugh lets just find the pencils.", I stammer. As my hand is reaching toward the drawer again I notice the slight tremor in it. "I'm sooo imagining things. That is one less latte I'm drinking next time I have to cram for a test." I say. With a nervous laugh I glance behind me at the wall.

I scream loud and long and reeled back in my chair. Etched in green oozing liquid were the words 'open the box'. I know I'm not imagining things this time. As I read the wall I could feel something touring my mind, like ants crawling across my brain. Before I knew what I was doing I had started across the room pulled the box onto my lap and undone the clasp. As I lift the lid and peek inside my heart fills with awe.

For inside the box lays a beautifully crafted watch. Gold leaf inscriptions and ornate symbols. But as I look closer I can tell it's not a watch. In place of the numbers are three pictures. A skull and crossbones, a fiery leaf, and a life like snowflake. I could feel something in my head again and it's as if I went into a hypnotic state. Without knowing to I picked up the watch and pressed a small gold button on the side of the watch. The hands on the watch began spinning, faster and faster they went. My heart leapt into my throat and Ifelt myself falling. Falling down into a dark abyss. And then everything went dark.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I jolted awake to the sound of birds chirping around me. Whoa birds chirping, but I live in the city. As I struggle to sit up I open my eyes. But it's as if I'm in a foggy haze. Everything is blurry and all I can see are vague shapes. Slowly my vision comes back into focus. All around me are lush jungle trees and chirping birds.

"Where am I?" I scream as I jump up. I feel a sharp sting in my foot were I have stepped onto a harshly edged rock. And an excruciating cramp in my hand were I am still tightly clutching the watch.

As I look at the watch I'm astonished to see that the hands have moved and that they are now pointing at the small detailed picture of the flaming leaf. I turn the watch over and a startled cry escapes my throat. Etched on the backside of the watch are the words Cara Findley you must begin. Moments later the watch began to smoke and I let it fall with a clank to the ground. At the same time a dense fog began forming around me.

I stooped down with just enough time to grab the watch before it was engulfed by fog. "It has begun…" It's that voice. The voice in my dream. "…are you ready?" they continued. How is the voice in my dream in reality? It was only a dream.

I saw it to late. The thin bony hand had already begun reaching around my head and slowly clamped my mouth shut. "Are you ready?" came the whisper.

"This is all so …". I felt my head droop and I became suddenly tired. My mind clouded over and I couldn't remember my last thought. I heard that familiar whoosh and my dream came to mind. I jumped out of the way just in time. I began to run.

I ran to the right, hoping I would be lucky enough not to run into a tree. And that the fog would throw off the shooters aim. I heard another whoosh and jumped aside again. The jump through me off balance and I tripped over a tree stump. I hit the ground and rolled to the side.

Through the fog I could see the faint outline of a small house. If only I could make it there. I can ask someone for help and everything will be ok.

I stood up only to hear another whoosh as a four inch dart sped past my head. I went crashing through the old iron gate and began banging loudly on the door. I heard a whoosh and inches to the side of my head was a dart stuck in the wall.

A small stout woman opened the door and I quickly told her what was happening. She then asked me where I had come from. And as I turned to point in the direction I had come from I heard a sudden whoosh.

I saw the dart a moment to late; it was going to hit me. I closed my eyes expecting to feel the sting of the dart exploding into my flesh. But it didn't come. For a long time I held my eyes closed and when I finally did open them I jumped back with a

scream. Just inches away from were my head had been was the dart. Captured in a haze of glowing green dust, it clattered to the floor.

"Pricilla you shouldn't frighten the poor girl. After all this is a terrible way for her to begin her journey. You could have killed her." the stout woman shouted into the fog. A tall skinny woman with long bony hands and a horribly sunken in face emerged from the fog.

"But Marty, I just wanted a little fun." complained Pricilla.

"You call shooting drug darts at her fun!", argued the stout woman Marty.

"What? That wasn't me. I wouldn't do something that stupid."

"Who else could have done it?"

"Well it could have been the…magistrate. You know as well as I that they want the amulet."

Marty's face clouded over in confusion as she began to speak. "But that's not…" Pricilla's glance stopped the words from coming out. With the glance Marty's eyes clouded over and her mouth closed.

"Sorry dear she must have been a bit confused." laughed Pricilla.

"Hugh, what are you talking about?" I said a little too quickly.

"Oh dear, she really doesn't know much does she, Marty?" then she turned to me and said, "I'm Pricilla but you can call me Percy and this is Marty. You're here to save the world from the magistrate but of coarse they don't want you to. So naturally they want to steal the amulet and destroy it. They'll kill anyone in their way so you must be extremely careful. But you won't let them get it would you dear."

"Ugh…no", I said still totally clueless.

"Don't believe a word she says." came the desperate cry across my mind but then it was gone.

"Huh did you say something Percy?" I said hoping it had been her and that it wasn't just me going crazy.

Percy cast a nervous glance at the now silent Marty. "No dear you must be hearing things. Did you hear anything Marty?" Percy answered.

"No Percy. I didn't here a thing." Marty replied. "Don't believe a word she says." pleaded the voice again.

"Don't trust who?" I thought back. Percy gave Marty a deathly look and Marty's eyes immediately fell to the floor. "Who?" I asked again. But no reply came.

"So what time is it?" I asked.

"Time? Oh no I forgot all about the time and you have your meeting with the magistrate. Come dear we have to go. All your questions will be answered when we get there?" squeaked Marty.

"Wh.. Wha…What but you said the magistrate wanted to kill me." I moaned in a pathetic little voice.

"What? Oh dear I'm afraid you're terribly mistaken. The magistrate is a force of good." Marty said more sure.

" That is quite enough. Marty you shouldn't tell her such lies." screamed Percy as she entered the room. At hearing this Marty began violently shaking, and I could feel that thing in my head again.

A few minutes passed and Marty finally stopped shaking. "So what are we late for?" I asked again. Marty shot me a bewildered look. Then Percy looked over at her and their eyes contacted. It was clear that they both had different ideas about what was going to happen. Marty shook her head and looked away. But her gaze almost immediately went back to Percy. Percy stared at Marty harder and after what seemed like an eternity Marty gave a slight nod and the stood up.

"Late to meet Pragoda of coarse. Now hurry up and Change into these close. We can't have you wandering around Para dressed like that now can we. Go, hurry." Pricilla nearly screamed.

So I changed and we were off.


End file.
